This invention relates to a a novel and improved arrangement for the reversible mating, coupling, or mounting of a watchcase within a watchframe.
Watchbands, watchframes and watchcase designs are comprised of many different styles, colors, shapes, sizes, and designs. It is often desirable that the watch wearer-user have a watch which is coordinated with the color, fashion, and design of the wearer.
To have this feature of coordination requires generally that the wearer acquire many different watches, each watch having a suitable color, style, and design consistent with the wearer's clothing and fashion wear. It is advantageous to have a watch which is suitable for many different colors, styles, clothing or fashion, or to have a set of watches which can be made adaptable to many different colors, styles, clothing or fashion wear at a relatively inexpensive price. The only alternative is to acquire many different watches at a relatively great cost to the wearer.
Presently in the timepiece industry there are reversible mounting, assembly, and coupling case and frame apparatus available. These apparatus use exterior fastening means such as snaps, lugs, screws, clasps, bands, and tabs which cause the appropriate fixation of the watchcase within the frame. Some of these fastening means are disclosed and illustrated in the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 3,492,809 entitled WRIST WATCH MOVEMENT AND WRISTBAND COMBINATION issued Feb. 3, 1970; U.S. Pat. No. 2,219,277 entitled MOUNTING FOR WATCHCASES, issued Oct. 22, 1940; U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,157 entitled COMBINED WATCH AND CONTINUOUS WATCH BAND, issued June 27, 1972. Other related wrist watch assembly art is disclosed and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,347 entitled WRISTWATCH CASING AND BAND CONSTRUCTION, issued May 17, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,134, entitled WATCH MOVEMENT HOLDER RING, issued July 16, 1957; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,414, issued July 11, 1972 entitled WRIST WATCHES.
Furthermore, this invention provides an assembly means without the use of any permanent adhesive, snaps, lugs, screws, clasps, exterior bands, deformable plastic tabs, or the like.
Furthermore, it is desirable that in any assembly and disassembly of a watchcase and its watchframe the means of assembly and fastening of the case to the frame be such that the fastening means not be readily perceptible in the course of ordinary wearing and usage after the watch has been assembled. This is done for aesthestic and comfort reasons by avoiding the appearance of the fastening means, or the appearance that the watch is one that can be routinely assembled and disassembled, or discomfort of the fastening means with the wearer's body.
This invention provides a novel and improved apparatus for reversibly mating, coupling and mounting a watchcase from within a watchframe by a slidable means. The apparatus is smoother in operation, more aesthetic, and easier for the ordinary human user to accomplish, than available in any prior art.
Furthermore, because the case can slide within the frame from the bottom portion of the frame to the top, any slot in the frame for the watchwind and stem can be hidden from view upon the completion of its assembly.
Furthermore, the provision of a slight rim at the top of the frame additionally aids in disguising the assembly means, further improving the aesthetic characteristics of this watch.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a means for slidably assembling a metal frame and metal case without scratching and marring the surface of either the case or frame.